Does cataract surgery increase the risk for retinal disease?

We examined the link between cataract surgery and retinal diseases requiring intravitreal injec-tions (IVI) using a large population database. Billing records for cataract surgery and IVI were an-alyzed to assess the prevalence and risk of retinal disease within five years post-surgery or base-line. Our study included 525,188 individuals, with 77,739 who underwent cataract surgery and 447,449 serving as the control group. The multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard model identified cataract surgery as a significant risk factor for IVI, with the risk increasing over time. Additionally, age and diabetes were notable contributing factors. The strong association between cataract sur-gery and elevated IVI risk indicates that cataract surgery is a substantial risk factor for developing serious retinal diseases, such as choroidal neovascularization or macular edema.